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Presbyterians to officially allow gay clergy {July 10}
Christian Century ^ | 8 Jul 2011 | Jack Jenkins

Posted on 07/08/2011 11:46:24 PM PDT by Cronos

Presbyterians who support gay rights are prepping sanctuaries this Sunday (July 10) to celebrate the passage of a new church policy that allows gay pastors to serve openly for the first time in the denomination's history.

As the new policy for the Presbyterian Church (USA) becomes official that day, several left-leaning churches "will mark the moment with prayer and rejoicing" in their Sunday services, according to a press release from More Light Presbyterians, which advocates for gay rights in the church.

"The Presbyterian Church enters a new era of equality on Sunday," said Michael Adee, the group's executive director. "It is a historic moment. It returns us to ordination standards that focus on faith and character rather than one's marital status or sexual orientation."

The new policy removes language from the denomination's constitution that had barred homosexuals from serving as church ministers, elders and deacons. It allows each presbytery - or regional governing body - to decide what sexual standards to place on ordination.

The resolution, which had failed in different forms in recent years, needed approval from both the PC(USA) General Assembly as well as from presbyteries; 97 of the denomination's 173 presbyteries voted to approve the new policy.

(Excerpt) Read more at christiancentury.org ...


TOPICS: Current Events; Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: homosexualagenda; lesbyterian; lesbyterianism; liberalpresbyterian; opc; paganchurchusa; pcusa; presbyterian
And the gay pride marches on...
1 posted on 07/08/2011 11:46:25 PM PDT by Cronos
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To: Cronos

Pride of lions: the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.


2 posted on 07/08/2011 11:53:22 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Hawk)
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To: Cronos

You’d have to be blind not to see the lines being drawn. All I know is which side I want to be on.


3 posted on 07/09/2011 12:04:50 AM PDT by steel_resolve
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To: Cronos
The Presbyterian church down the street from me shares its building on a 50/50 basis with the local Buddhists. Yep, if it weren't for being called a "temple shrine" half the time, it might have disappeared altogether. Even their Casino Night festivities failed to raise enough cash.

Meanwhile, four blocks over, the Baptists had to double the size of their church. Gee, now I wonder why? I'm stumped. You know, sometimes it's just plain impossible to understand the consequence of actions.

4 posted on 07/09/2011 2:10:13 AM PDT by CanaGuy (Go Harper! We gave you a majority, now get busy!)
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To: CanaGuy

Not to cast stones against the Presbyterians....but I’d wager that they will shrink by fifty percent over the next decade. The problem is that a number of religions have aggressive efforts to recruit and keep membership....but not the Presbyterians.


5 posted on 07/09/2011 2:44:54 AM PDT by pepsionice
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To: CanaGuy
The Presbyterian church down the street from me shares its building on a 50/50 basis with the local Buddhists.

What?? How can you worship in the same place? Don't the Presbyterians have any sense?

6 posted on 07/09/2011 3:24:25 AM PDT by Cronos ( W Szczebrzeszynie chrzaszcz brzmi w trzcinie I Szczebrzeszyn z tego slynie.)
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To: pepsionice

I sounds like they are aggressively recruiting to me.


7 posted on 07/09/2011 4:23:01 AM PDT by dangerdoc (see post #6)
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To: Cronos

Stick a fork in them they are done......
You can not be a Christian Church and endorse perversion..


8 posted on 07/09/2011 4:28:48 AM PDT by SECURE AMERICA (Where can I sign up for the New American Revolution and the Crusades 2012?)
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To: SECURE AMERICA
I expect to receive my annual pledge card from my home church, in Ft Lauderdale, FL. Been a member since 1956; went to what was then called “Florida Presbyterian College” and supported that denomination from as close as 60 miles and as far away as Thailand.

But, based on their newsletters, my last year of support was 2010. If I don't support my local newspaper with a subscription because I find their editorial policies offensive, why should I support a church when I find their policies even more offensive?

9 posted on 07/09/2011 5:05:26 AM PDT by Nip (TANSTAAFL)
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To: Cronos

When a gay minister moved to a small Southern town (Presbyterian)
Courier Journal ^ | 5 July 2011 | Brett Webb-Mitchel

Posted on Tuesday, July 05, 2011 6:59:07 AM by Cronos
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2744083/posts

“As an out Presbyterian preacher, I’d experienced prejudice before. But nothing like what I faced in North Carolina

I was reading “Home in Henderson” — the unofficial city website for a small town in North Carolina where I had recently moved to preach — when I came across the blog entry. It was posted under the pseudonym “Church Reporter.”

“A friend that attends the First Presbyterian Church told me to do a Google search on their new minister Brett Webb-Mitchell,” the entry began. “Having done so, I have only three comments to make on the pastor selection: 1. Who is responsible for this mess? 2. The old biblical saying (the Lord works in mysterious ways) must be true in this case. 3. Someone needs to appoint a new membership search committee, because I hear the church membership numbers are dropping.”

I sat at my computer, stunned.”


10 posted on 07/09/2011 5:15:13 AM PDT by flowerplough (Bammy: It frustrates me when people talk about government jobs as if somehow those are worth less.)
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To: dangerdoc

Indeed it sounds like someone made a money deal.


11 posted on 07/09/2011 7:32:58 AM PDT by Vaduz
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To: Cronos

This is why I do not attend ANY congregational church of any kind. They all want money and they condone perversions.


12 posted on 07/09/2011 8:31:59 AM PDT by Pilated
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